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Silicon Nanowires and Optical Stimulation for Investigations of Intra- and Intercellular Electrical Coupling
Published on: January 28, 2021
Mapping carrier diffusion in single silicon core-shell nanowires with ultrafast optical microscopy
1Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States. minahseo@lanl.gov
Nano Letters
|November 8, 2012
Summary
Researchers used ultrafast optical microscopy to study carrier dynamics in silicon nanowires (NWs). This study reveals coherent phonon oscillations and maps electron and hole diffusion currents in NWs for the first time.
Area of Science:
- Semiconductor Nanowire (NW) Science
- Ultrafast Optical Microscopy
- Carrier Dynamics
Background:
- Core-shell heterostructures on semiconductor nanowires (NWs) offer enhanced device control.
- Limited understanding of carrier dynamics in NWs hinders performance enhancements.
- Interfaces significantly impact carrier transport in quasi-one-dimensional NW systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly examine carrier relaxation and diffusion in single silicon core-only and Si/SiO(2) core-shell NWs.
- To investigate carrier dynamics with high temporal and spatial resolution.
- To understand the influence of interfaces on carrier transport in NWs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ultrafast optical microscopy for noncontact examination.
- Studied single silicon core-only and Si/SiO(2) core-shell NWs.
- Achieved high temporal and spatial resolution in measurements.
Main Results:
- Observed strong coherent phonon oscillations.
- Experimentally mapped electron and hole diffusion currents in individual NWs.
- Provided direct insights into carrier dynamics at interfaces.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrated the capability of ultrafast optical microscopy to probe carrier dynamics in NWs.
- Established a method for mapping carrier diffusion currents in semiconductor NWs.
- Highlighted the importance of interface effects on carrier behavior in NWs.
